


Shootout: United States 4, Canada 3

by rocketsfindplanets



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: 2018 World Juniors, Angst without Plot ??????????????, Light Angst, M/M, World Juniors, this is literally just me venting okay nothing happens just some boys being sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 01:09:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13202478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocketsfindplanets/pseuds/rocketsfindplanets
Summary: Mikey’s heart ached, over something that was a lot more deserving of his attention than Team USA. “I know,” he said again, more fond this time. “I miss you.”





	Shootout: United States 4, Canada 3

Canada lost.

They all had to act like they were okay, which they kind of were. It was the preliminary round, and they were moving on either way. That didn’t exactly make losing easier, especially after being up by two.

So Canada lost, and it fucking sucked, especially for the guys who already knew the taste of silver from 2017.

Mikey found himself in his hotel room pretty much as soon as possible, sprawled out on his bed. He wasn’t really too worried, yet, but he didn’t really feel like partying or playing video games or whatever, either. Instead he just sort of wallowed in self-pity, figuring he was allowed that even if he wasn’t too worried.

His phone rang. He ignored it. It rang again, and he groaned, eventually forcing himself to grab it off of the nightstand and answer.

“Mikey?”

Oh, shit.

“Nathan?” he drawled, not entirely trusting himself; he was pretty tired, and it was hard to hear voices over the phone, and…

The other guy laughed, and yeah, there was no way that was anybody but Nate.

“Hey, don’t laugh,” Mikey quickly interjected, shuffling around a bit so he was lying on his side, phone sitting on his pillow, next to his head. “I was practically asleep, you know.”

“Asleep? It’s, like, dinnertime.”

Mikey huffed. “I had a wonderful salad that I ordered from room service, thank you very much. Trust me, I’d like to at least try to win a game tomorrow.”

He didn’t mean it to come out so bitter, especially not toward Nate. But how could he not be bitter? It felt like the exact same thing over again, even if a gold medal game was a little bit different.

“Mikey…”

Nate’s voice was so soft, and Mikey could practically imagine him there. They’d probably be tangled together, watching some dumb movie, or playing NHL. Or maybe they’d be out with the team, like Mikey probably should have been.

“It’s just one game. Just worry about Denmark, yeah?”

He sighed. “I know… I know.”

(He couldn’t expect Nate to understand.)

“It sucks that you’re in New York and I still can’t see you.”

Mikey’s heart ached, over something that was a lot more deserving of his attention than Team USA. “I know,” he said again, more fond this time. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too.”

“We’ll be together again soon, though.” He didn’t know that it was true. Mikey should have been in New Jersey, and he couldn’t stop blaming himself for everything. It wasn’t necessarily his fault he had been hurt, but it still meant a slow start, and it meant Mississauga was sucking. He tried to hold his head high.

Nate didn’t respond, and Mikey didn’t blame him. Every phone call was empty promises, was _soon, we’ll see each other soon_ , and soon never came.

Mikey was sad about losing. Being a little bit upset about one thing, though, easily snowballed into being upset about a lot of things, and he was figuring that out pretty quickly.

“Call me tomorrow?” Mikey asked. “I’d watch your game, but I guess I’ll just have to watch the highlights, huh?”

“Your game is later, you call me,” Nate countered.

“Okay, whatever. But you do want to talk, tomorrow?”

“I want to talk right now.”

“Yeah. We’re talking.”

“Come on, Mikey. Talk about something that will make you happy.”

“You,” Mikey said. He wasn’t sure he meant to say it out loud, but it was true; there was nothing he wanted more right then than Nathan Bastian. “The guys are all hanging out and having fun right now, I just… I dunno. Doesn’t feel right.”

“Go steal Taylor, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

“Bothering you is much more fun, though.”

“You think?”

”Mhm.” Mikey yawned and closed his eyes. “What’d you call me for, anyway?”

”I watched the game. Just wanted to make sure you weren’t beating yourself up over it too much.”

”Well, you caught me.” Nate sighed, but Mikey kept talking before he got the chance to interject. "I'll be okay, Nate. I  _am_ okay. We can clinch the top of the group tomorrow, and then if we play them again, it'll be inside where we're not freezing our asses off or being blinded by snow. It'll be okay."

"It'll be okay," Nate echoed. It sounded empty. Mikey wanted to hug him, for both of their sakes. "Get a point for me, tomorrow?"

Mikey smiled. "Only if you get one for me."

"Deal."

He didn't know what to say to that, so instead, he said, "I'm gonna FaceTime you instead. Tomorrow. I wanna see you."

"Yeah, that's fine. I want to see you, too."

Something wasn't working. They didn't get to talk too often, anymore, even if they did try to talk most days. When they did, it didn't feel right. Mikey was used to joking around with Nate, cuddling with him while they talked, doing dumb shit and documenting it on Instagram. And he still wanted that, he wanted it all the time, especially when they talked. But it felt so, so out of reach. It felt like it had been forever since they had been happy together in Mississauga.

"Nate? I think I'm gonna try to get some sleep, okay? Maybe clear my head a bit."

"Oh." Mikey swallowed. "That's fine, yeah, if you're tired you should, it'll be good..."

He could imagine Nate forcing a smile, trying to act like things were okay. They seemed to be doing a lot of that.

"I love you, Nate."

"Yeah, you too. Goodnight, Mikey."

And like that, Nate had hung up, and Mikey was as alone as he had been before Nate called. God, he was an idiot. He toyed with the idea of calling Nate back and keeping him on the line until Nate had to leave. He didn't, though, just putting his phone back on the nightstand where it had been and plugging it back in.

He missed Nate. He missed  _them_.

What sucked was that they all had to act like they were okay, because what was their other option? Breaking up?

He loved Nate too much for that. He closed his eyes, and tried not to think about it.

(Or Team USA.)

**Author's Note:**

> when i was doing the tags i typed mikey and when nothing came up i just stared at my screen for a solid minute before i erased it and tried michael instead. yeah. if youre unsatisfied with the ending thats okay because mikey is too :(
> 
> mikey scored. nate didnt. (the devils game was brutal tbh)
> 
> anywayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy cant wait for this to be not a long distance relationship wow (ill write a real fic for these guys one day)!!!!!! hmu in the comments here or on tumblr @ dontbreakmycarterhart (usually jacklisowski but wjc, im sure you understand LMAO) to yell abt wjc or this ship or whatever honestly.. thx for reading bless


End file.
